Things get really busy starting Monday when the free-agent negotiating period begins. Players can be signed starting Wednesday. Here is a position-by-position at where the Broncos stand.

Quarterback

Under contract: Garrett Grayson ($570,000).

Free agents: Kevin Hogan (exclusive rights).

Scheduled to be traded: Case Keenum ($21,000,000; Washington).

Analysis: In the view of general manager John Elway, this position will be semi-solved on Wednesday when the trade for Joe Flacco ($18.5 million salary) will be completed with Baltimore. But a big question remains: What is Elway’s future plan at the position? Flacco will arrive with three years left on his contract, but no guaranteed money, so he can be one-and-done if it doesn’t work out. It’s nearly a must for Elway to draft a quarterback in the opening three rounds this year. That player could serve as Flacco’s back-up and eventual successor, and it would also give Elway protection in case the Broncos improve from last year’s 6-10 record and out of position to draft a top passer in 2020.

Running back

Analysis: The Broncos are in good shape here, both financially and age wise, because Freeman, Lindsay, Booker and Janovich are all on their rookie contracts. Elway has the luxury of standing pat at this position, but there are questions. Can Freeman stay healthy and be the bulldozer he was at Oregon? Can Lindsay fully recover from wrist surgery? And how does new offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello use Janovich?

Analysis: Until Sanders (Achilles) proves he is back to full strength, which is a big ask considering his injury and age (he turns 32 on March 17), the Broncos don’t have a No. 1 receiver on their roster. If Elway even has a little bit of concern about Sanders, he should enter into free agency to find a receiver who can play outside and in the slot, like Philadelphia’s Golden Tate. Sutton showed flashes of making big plays last year but needs to couple that with being a reliable player on the entire route tree. Hamilton’s rookie year was largely a wash because he was fourth on the depth chart and then sprained his MCL in mid-October.

Analysis: Signing one tight end in free agency and one in the first three rounds of the draft should be the strategy. Even after his third ACL surgery, don’t count out Butt making an impact this year — he was on his way to becoming the main tight end when he was injured in a Week 4 practice. We don’t know what Fumgalli can do because he didn’t play in a game last year because of a sports hernia injury. The Broncos could go semi-discount shopping in free agency to find a tight end who has experience (Pittsburgh’s Jesse James or Baltimore’s Maxx Williams), which would allow them to draft a pass-first tight end in a very deep post-first round class (UCLA’s Caleb Wilson and Utah State’s Dax Raymond). But that could be expensive — Baltimore’s Nick Boyle signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Ravens on Thursday.

Analysis: A ton of issues for new offensive line coach Mike Munchak to address. What we know is that Bolles is back at left tackle and Elway said Leary (left guard) will also return despite tearing his Achilles last October. Everything else is uncertain. Will McGovern get the first shot at center if Paradis doesn’t return? Do they like Wilkinson in a right tackle competition or as a back-up swing guy after getting experience at guard last year? Is Veldheer returning at right tackle a fallback option only? Are the Broncos plotting a big splash in free agency to add Los Angeles Rams guard Rodger Saffold, Miami right tackle Ja’Wuan James or New England left tackle Trent Brown? Munchak’s reputation for developing young linemen is unmatched, but the Broncos could use a veteran infusion, which would allow them to be more selective in the draft.

Analysis: The Broncos will remain a 3-4 base-front team so that means Wolfe and Gotsis will return as the starting defensive ends. Peko is not in their plans at the moment, which gives Harris the first chance at nose tackle, but the options to start and/or team with Harris include Minnesota’s Sheldon Richardson and New England’s Danny Shelton. Walker fell out of favor on coach Vance Joseph’s staff, spending almost all of 2018 as a healthy scratch. A new head coach and defensive coordinator should equal a fresh start for Walker.

Analysis: One of the few positions on the roster with premium players in Miller and Chubb. But the Broncos need to re-stock the depth behind them. Holland spent most of 2018 on the practice squad, but has the athleticism to win as an edge rusher. Probably not in free agency, but the Broncos, as Elway said at the Combine, will add some pass-rushing depth because it remains remote that Barrett will return. This appears to be the right draft to take a pass rusher in rounds 2-4.

Analysis: Davis and Jewell finished the season as the base-down starters because Brandon Marshall’s knee injury limited him to sub-package reps. Marshall is expected to be released. If the Broncos pursue Baltimore’s C.J. Mosley, they will get better at inside linebacker, but it will come at such a cost that they would have to ignore other needs. The Broncos have struggled covering tight ends for many years so Fangio should want to add speed and coverage ability to the mix.

Analysis: Help! It’s Harris and then everybody else. The Broncos’ record in December after Harris sustained a broken leg — 0-4. Elway figures to talk contract extension with Harris’ camp once the first wave of free agency is completed. A free agent fit would be Chicago’s Bryce Callahan, who played for Fangio and can cover slot receivers, and Houston’s Kareem Jackson, who can play inside and outside. The Broncos didn’t poke around on the top college cornerbacks at the Combine so they may be waiting until Days 2-3 of the draft to add depth.

Analysis: The Broncos cut Darian Stewart (a starter since 2015) on Thursday. The knee-jerk reaction was that meant Elway would plot to add one of the many available free agent safeties, led by the New York Giants’ Landon Collins, the Los Angeles Rams’ Lamarcus Joyner or Chicago’s Adrian Amos. Pairing one of those players with Simmons would keep Parks in a sub-package role.

Specialists

Analysis: The Broncos could be set here with McManus, Kreiter (re-signed last week) and Wadman. The focus for special teams coordinator Tom McMahon will be sparking the league’s worst punt return game.

Salary cap numbers via www.overthecap.com. Restricted free agent – if tendered by the Broncos, they have a right to match any signed offer sheet. Exclusive rights free agent – if tendered by the Broncos, they can’t negotiate with another team.